These
four saxophone concertos go, so to say, two by two in
that the Japanese concertos were both written for the
present soloist whereas the works by Ibert and Larsson
were composed for Sigurd Rascher.

Chronologically,
Larsson’s Concerto for Saxophone and String Orchestra
Op.14 is the earliest work in this compilation.
It was composed for Sigurd Rascher who collaborated closely
with the composer. Larsson’s music is often defined as
neo-classical, which is certainly true as far as many
of his works are concerned and which undoubtedly applies
to the beautiful slow movement of the Saxophone Concerto
of 1934. However the first movement displays some rather
tenser harmonies that one would not readily associate
with neo-classicism. In fact, Larsson’s concerto is the
most substantial work here, both in terms of overall
length and of musical substance. The music is warmly
melodic, attractive and beautifully written for the soloist
although the saxophone part is demanding in terms of
technique and musicality.

Ibert’s Concertino
da camera was composed in 1935 for Sigurd
Rascher but was actually first performed by another
brilliant soloist of the time, Marcel Mule, who went
on to play it extensively in concert. This lovely
work is scored for small orchestra, actually string
quintet, wind quintet and trumpet, and displays Ibert’s
fingerprints to the full: clear melodic lines, lively
rhythms in the outer movements, lightness of touch,
piquant scoring and concision; the music never outstays
its welcome. No wonder that this delightful work
has become part of the repertoire and has attracted – and
still does – many saxophone virtuosos throughout
the world.

Yoshimatsu’s
and Honda’s recent concertos, receiving their premiere
recording here, were both written for Nobuya Sugawa.
Yoshimatsu’s Saxophone Concerto “Albireo Mode” Op.93 was
completed in 2005 and is in fact the second saxophone
concerto that Yoshimatsu composed for this soloist. The
first one Cyber-bird Concerto, composed
in 1994, is available on Chandos CHAN 9737 (review).
The Saxophone Concerto Op.93 is in two
movements of fairly equal length, but with differing
characters. The first movement Topaz is mostly
song-like and meditative, and the music appropriately
enough is lightly scored, with eerie atmosphere often
suggested by wind chimes. The second movement Sapphire is
more animated and capricious, although the difference
between the two movements is one of fine shading rather
than dramatic contrast. On the whole, the music is often
attractive, well-crafted but a bit impersonal and eclectic.
The second movement includes a short cadenza in which
the composer briefly uses modern techniques such as multiphonics
and the like, which I find at odds with the general character
of the music. This seems to me a miscalculation on the
composer’s part, but this is a minor quibble, and certainly
a strongly subjective one.

Honda’s Concerto
du vent, too, was composed for Sugawa, a
personal friend of the composer, who is also a saxophone
player. The music pays homage to jazz; but the composer
does not overdo the jazzy connection, so the music
eschews the all-too-obvious clichés that one might
have come to expect. The emphasis, however, is clearly
on melody and instrumental colour. I find Honda’s
concerto much more satisfying as a piece of music
and – more importantly – more personal than Yoshimatsu’s,
no matter how attractive the latter may be. I could
not help thinking that this was the saxophone concerto
that Malcolm Arnold never composed, and I mean that
as a compliment. This lovely work is, no doubt, a
fine addition to the repertoire and could become
quite popular with saxophone players willing to add
to their repertoire.

Nobuya
Sugawa plays wonderfully throughout. The sheer beauty
of his sound is simply superb, and his flawless technique
clearly matches his musicality which is never at fault.
The BBC Philharmonic plays beautifully and the recording
is up to the house best standards. This is a very fine
release that will appeal to saxophone buffs, but I am
sure that many others will find much to enjoy here, as
I definitely did.

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